Sunday, 31 March 2013

It's one of those days that I wish I'd gotten the surgery on my right hand first. That way when I get my left hand done I'd be able to art my days away. That's what I'd planned to do this evening but I can't hold a pencil or a paintbrush. My right hand is too painful. Ironic, since my left hand is the one healing from surgery. I was, however, able to create these today.

Thursday, 28 March 2013

I had my carpal tunnel surgery yesterday. I'm now at home, healing and resting. I'm going to go through some of the online classes that I've taken and play with colours as much as I can. I'm in a lot of pain so it will be in short bursts for now.

Sunday, 17 March 2013

I think I've decided that markers are still my favourite medium. Does that make me lame? I feel like my passion should be something more exciting than a marker. But... it's not. I love my Copics, Prismacolors, Zigs, and Microns.

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

It was a long day, it's 10:30pm and I'm just now finally sitting down at my art desk. Won't be much time for creativity tonight but there sure is time to gesso the next pages in each of my (currently) three art journals so they're ready for tomorrow's creative inspirations. I want to take a moment to give credit where credit is due:

Yipes. I think that's it. Can you believe I JUST started Art Journaling in January 2013?!? I've always been known to find a new hobby and really take it by the reins. I will learn it in, out, sideways, and backwards. I will perfect it in my own unique way. I will love it in and out. …and that, I do. Although I'm learning that I'm not only learning the ropes, I'm also meeting fantastic people along the way too. That, in itself, is worth every cent I've spent on classes.

I'm proud to say that I may have actually figured out how to doodle. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Everyone knows how to 'doodle'... well, not I. I really had a tough time figuring out how to let the ink flow without boundaries. I loved it. Thank you Stephanie Ackerman.

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

I've been trying to broaden my horizons. Take some classes, whether for lettering, art journaling, techniques, you name it. I've been having a ton of fun but I've also spent a wee bit too much on the classes. PayPal's too easy to use. Nonetheless, I've been having a great time and likely will be doing more soon. I'll round up the addresses and links for each of the classes I've taken so as to give credit where credit is due.

Well, completely non art journal related but we took the plunge and bought the girls a fish tank and some fish. On our way to pick them up from grandpa and grandma's with the new fish and tank in the back of the car. The girls don't know anything about it and they're going to be so excited. We spent over eight hours last night with our art supplies, creating. It was so good and so refreshing. The time really disappeared quickly.

Saturday, 9 March 2013

Well, apparently I picked an appropriate name for this blog. This afternoon we dropped the kids off at their grandma and grandpa's for a sleepover. We just go home after checking out an art store we've never been to and first thing I did when I got home was made myself a coffee and came down to my art room with my new findings at the art store. The words that went through my head were, 'ahhhh, coffee and an art journal'… pure happiness.

Wednesday, 6 March 2013

I feel like I'm so behind. The deeper I search, the more I see how the world of art journaling, doodling, zentangling, and the such have had such a following for so long. How it is that I have just now stumbled upon it? Well, when I say 'stumbled', I mean "fell head first, ass in the air, and giggling with glee". There's so much for me to learn, to experience! I love it.

Gesso, acrylics, watercolours, pan pastels, markers, pencil crayons, tape, glitter, paper, oh… so much fun. Tonight was my first experience with pan pastels. They're awesome. I need to learn how to make them look a lot better but this was fun.

Monday, 4 March 2013

I find it very interesting how it seems that as an Art Journaler (is that a real word?) you should have a blog. I started a blog once, back when I was in college, but it didn't last longer than a few months. Something happened to my provider and I've never been able to retrieve its contents.

So, here I am again, I hope this time to be able to post pics of my creations and eventually have tutorials and resources available for others to join in the fun of art journaling. ...which I must mention, is also interesting to me... "art Journaling" isn't a real term. It should be "art journalising" yet in the community, this is how it's used. I wonder how long until it becomes a recognised word... 'journaling', that is.

Why "Coffee and an Art Journal" you ask? Well, I've always been a coffee fanatic, it's rare when you don't see me with a coffee within hand's reach. My online handle typically is something with the word 'coffee' in it. It seems, just to me, to be a part of who I am online. So 'coffee' had to be part of the name. As far as the rest, I wanted a name that mixed my love of coffee with my love of art journaling and this is what you get.

I think I will find it interesting how in a few years when I look back at this blog, I hope to see a significant difference in my artistic abilities. Here's a glimpse at my current achievements:

(And in true style of someone who's never used blogger before, here it is on its side. I'll soon figure out how to turn the pics.)